Jean-Robert de Cavel is a celebrity chef in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was Chef de cuisine at The Maisonette from 1993-2002, Executive chef at Jean-Robert at Pigall's from 2002-2009, and currently operates Jean-Robert's Table, Le Bar a Boeuf and French Crust Cafe. He and his wife founded the de Cavel Family SIDS Foundation, which runs Eat.Play.Give: Friends and Family SIDS Brunch, a culinary event that is the country's largest SIDS fundraiser.
In 2003 de Cavel and his wife Annette founded the de Cavel Family SIDS Foundation following the death of their first child, Tatiana. Since then it has grown annually to become the largest SIDS fundraiser in the country.
Professional career
De Cavel worked in Zermatt, Antibes, the British West Indies, and New York City before moving to Cincinnati in 1993 to become Chef de cuisine at The Maisonette, which earned 5 stars from Mobil during his time there. He left in 2002 to join a partnership to run his own restaurants Jean-Robert at Pigall's, which became Ohio's only Mobil four-star restaurant. With his partners he went on to open JeanRo Bistro, Pho Paris, Greenup Cafe, Twist, and Lavomatic Cafe, all located in the greater Cincinnati area. In 2009 he left the partnership to start Jean-Robert's Table in 2010, French Crust in 2011, Le Bar a Boeuf in 2014 and Eat at Jean-Bob's in 2015, and Restaurant L and Frenchie Fresh in 2016. He has been called "arguably the most recognizable chef in town" and "one of the region's most well-known chefs".
De Cavel has four times been a semifinalist for the James Beard Best Chef in the Great Lakes Region, in 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2013. He has received three James Beard nominations for Best Chef in the Midwest in 2000, 2001, and 2006 and has been invited to cook at the foundation's Greenwich Village headquarters, six times. During his tenure The Maisonette received five stars from Mobil. Jean-Robert at Pigall's received four stars from Mobil and was recognized by Relais & Châteaux. In 2007 he was named a Master Chef by Maîtres Cuisiniers de France.
Restaurants
De Cavel has been associated with Michelin starred restaurants La Bonne Auberge in Antibes, France; The Restaurant at Malliouhana in the British West Indies; La Regence and La Gauloise in Manhattan. In Cincinnati he has been associated with 5-star Mobil restaurant The Maisonette, 4-star Mobil restaurant Jean-Robert at Pigall’s, JeanRo Bistro, Pho Paris, Greenup Café, Twist, Lavomatic Café, Jean-Robert's Table, French Crust, Le Bar a Boeuf Eat at Jean-Bob's, Restaurant L and Frenchie Fresh.
